


Venomous Vegetation

by Akira_of_the_Twilight



Series: Strangers in Space [5]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Space, Clint Barton-centric, Drabble, Established Relationship- James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, Extremis, Jaded Clint Barton, M/M, OT4, Polyamory, Pre-StarkSpangledWinterHawk, Pseudoscience, evil plants
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-28
Updated: 2016-08-28
Packaged: 2018-08-11 12:47:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7893004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akira_of_the_Twilight/pseuds/Akira_of_the_Twilight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“How does this shit keep happening to me?” Clint sprinted across the lush jungle landscape, jumping over a boulder and into what had to be animal dung. Clint cried out and pinwheeled his arms as he lost his balance. </p><p>Tony seized Clint’s arm and yanked him forward so Clint was running instead of falling backwards. “Just keep running, just keep running,” Tony chanted.</p><p>“What do you think we’re doing?” Clint shouted as the land quaked under his feet.</p><p>A beastly bellow reverberated behind Clint.</p><p>Clint didn’t look back at the overgrown plant-thing that had decided Tony and him would make an excellent dinner.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Venomous Vegetation

“How does this shit keep happening to me?” Clint sprinted across the lush jungle landscape, jumping over a boulder and into what had to be animal dung. Clint cried out and pinwheeled his arms as he lost his balance. 

Tony seized Clint’s arm and yanked him forward so Clint was running instead of falling backwards. “Just keep running, just keep running,” Tony chanted.

“What do you think we’re doing?” Clint shouted as the land quaked under his feet.

A beastly bellow reverberated behind Clint.

Clint didn’t look back at the overgrown plant-thing that had decided Tony and him would make an excellent dinner. Instead, he picked up his pace, racing ahead of Tony for a few seconds, before Tony picked up his own pace and took the lead again. 

“This is what you get for wanting to explore the underdeveloped planet!” Tony shouted.

“Oh, forgive me for wanting a break from space, space, and more space!”

A tree to Clint’s right quaked and began to topple. 

Clint cursed, trying to hasten himself so he was out of the tree’s path.

Clint yelped when with one tug Tony yanked Clint forward and under his armpit. 

Tony carried Clint lack a sack of potatoes as he jumped over a series of obstacles. 

“You can carry me?” Clint shouted over the roar of the evil shrubbery come to life. 

“Eh, side effect of Extremis, but I’m not going to be able to keep this up for long.” Tony huffed as his eyes scanned the jungle. “I’m going to put you down. You hide, and I’ll see if I can lure this thing away.”

“Are you nuts?” Clint squawked. 

“Definitely.” Tony veered left and plopped Clint on the jungle floor right below a tree. “Climb!”  Tony took off running, steering away from Clint and right into the path of the giant plant with a maw that could swallow five adult terrans whole and vine-like limbs that slithered like snakes. 

The plant let out a screech at the sight of Tony and increased its speed. 

Tony shouted a few insults and took off faster than Clint had ever seen the man move. 

Clint was frozen in place for a few seconds before he jumped to his feet and cursed. 

This was not supposed to happen. When Steve, Bucky, Tony, and him had come across the underdeveloped planet (currently only named M3-016), and Clint had requested that they stop so he could get out of the cramped ship, there wasn’t supposed to be any life threatening danger. He was just supposed to go for a walk on his own to enjoy the planet’s atmosphere, vegetation, and a few hours of seclusion. Tony was not supposed to have followed him. 

“But what if you run into danger?” Tony had asked as he chased Clint, not the least bit deterred as Clint picked up his pace. 

“Then I will take care of it.”

“How?”

“Don’t know, but I always do.”

“That’s stupid. Besides, you should always use the buddy system when exploring new and strange places.”

“The buddy system doesn’t give me a chance to be alone.”

“But it keeps you safe,” Tony had argued.

Thy two of them had spent the next hour bickering as they traipsed through the jungle. One moment it had been just a steady stream of back and forth between him and Tony and the next Clint heard chirps at his feet. He’d looked down to see baby living shrubs (or whatever they were called) and had instantly been endeared by their cute and tiny forms. Two minutes later, Mama or Papa plant thing had come back and thus began the chase. 

Clint let out a litany of curses as he stumbled about, unsure what to do. He couldn’t abandon Tony, but he had no means to rescue Tony either. Maybe if he had a bow or even something that could be used as a staff he might be able to help, but otherwise Tony stood a better chance alone it seemed. 

Clint balled his fists and raced toward where they had parked the ship; Steve and Bucky should be there. They had said they only wanted to stretch their muscles a bit and then take a nap. 

Clint’s lungs burned with the need for more air as he booked it for the ship. His side ached from overexertion, but he pushed on.

Clint barreled through the bushes and trees into the clearing. 

Bucky, who had been resting with his back propped up against the side of the ship startled at Clint’s arrival. He jumped to his feet and hurried to Clint, grabbing Clint by the shoulders. “What’s wrong? Where’s Tony?”

Clint bent over and gasped for breath. “Some evil plant thing chased us.” Clint took a few quick inhales. “Tony created...diversion. He’s still out there.” 

Bucky cussed, worry lighting his eyes as he looked out into the jungle past Clint. His grip on Clint tightened. “Catch your breath. I’m going to grab Steve and we’re going out there.” 

Clint nodded, and Bucky took off like he was the one being chased by some monstrous plant. 

It took quite a number of inhales, but eventually Clint caught his breath. When he did, Bucky and Steve were dashing out the ship with blasters in their hands. 

Steve held a blaster out for Clint. “You ever use one of these?”

Clint nodded and took the weapon from Steve. “Used it mostly for shooting cans and junk, but I’ve used one.”

“Good.” Steve nodded. “Where did Tony and this plant go?”

Clint took off in the direction he had come from, Steve and Bucky hot on his trail. 

It didn’t take long for Clint’s guidance to become unnecessary. The plant creature was large and bulldozed through the jungle, leaving a path of debris in its wake. 

Clint grew more nervous the farther they went with no signs of Tony. The path stretched well beyond the point where Tony and him had separated. 

Clint’s gut churned, and he pushed down images of Tony being eaten alive by the plant creature. 

“Didn’t I tell you to hide in a tree?” Tony’s voice came from above.

At once Clint, Bucky, and Steve stopped and lifted their heads up.

A disheveled Tony grinned down at them from high up in a tree. He’d curled his knees into his chest and cradled his left arm. “If you had just waited a few more minutes, Clint, I would have come back for you.”

“Tony,” Steve sighed his boyfriend’s name in relief as his holstered his blaster. 

Bucky didn’t speak, just shoved his blaster into Steve’s hands and climbed the tree without preamble.

“You idiot!” Clint shouted. “You could have been killed. Why’d you run off on your own?”

Tony blinked at Clint, genuinely surprised. “Someone had to be the distraction. Extremis makes me the obvious choice.” 

“What happened to the buddy system?” Clint shouted. 

“You know, I’m really confused.” Tony rubbed his head with his right hand, keeping his left arm cushioned between his chest and knees. “It sounds like you were worried about me, but you’re yelling at me and calling me names.” 

Clint huffed, blood rising to his cheeks. “Of course I was worried about you!”

Bucky finally reached a tree branch close to Tony, and pulled himself onto it with a grunt. His eyes skimmed over Tony. When his gaze reached Tony’s left arm, he scowled. He grabbed Tony by the back of head and pressed their foreheads together, mumbling something that Clint couldn’t hear, but put a red stain on Tony’s cheeks. 

Bucky pulled their foreheads away then looked down at Clint and Steve. “Give us some room. This is going to be a little tricky.”

Steve’s brow pinched. He put his hands on his hips as he analyzed his two boyfriends. “What happened?” His voice demanded. 

“Tony got bit, and judging by the purple blood coming out of his arm, I’d say the bite was venomous.”

Guilt and concern rammed into Clint’s stomach.

“It’s not that bad!” Tony hollered. “Extremis is getting rid of the venom as we speak; that’s why my blood is purple.”

“And how about moving your arm?” Bucky challenged. 

Tony smiled sheepishly. “It’s getting there.”

Bucky rolled his eyes. Slowly, he adjusted himself so he was balanced precariously on his branch. With just as much care, he helped Tony clamber onto his back. Once Tony was secure, Bucky began their descent. 

Clint fidgeted the whole time, worried that they might fall or that the giant plant would come back to finish what it had started. 

Steve clamped a hand on Clint’s shoulder and gave a reassuring squeeze. 

Steve had put on a brave face, but the moment Bucky landed on the ground and Tony slid off his back, Steve was right in front of Tony and running his hands all over Tony’s body. 

“I’m fine.” Tony huffed.

Bucky pointed to Tony’s arm. “You really want to argue when you have that clearly showing?”

Tony grumbled and hugged his injured arm. “I’ll be fine.” 

Steve cupped Tony’s face, turning Tony’s head toward him. “You’re sweating and your pupils are dilated.” Steve released Tony’s face. “One of us is going to carry you back to the ship.”

Tony groaned. “But I didn’t even break my leg or twist my ankle. I can walk fine.”

“Extremis may be getting rid of the venom, but you’re not going to help it if you move too much and cause the venom to circulate into your system more.”

“But Steve--”

“Just listen to your boyfriends,” Clint let his temper leak into his voice. 

Tony turned wide eyes on him again.

Clint took a deep breath and rubbed his neck. “Listen, just because I give you a hard time doesn’t mean I want to see you dead or suffering, so please, give my nerves a freakin’ break and let one of your boyfriends carry you.” Clint took another deep breath and forced himself to smile. “I mean, come on. Look at them.” Clint gestured to Steve and Bucky. “Why wouldn’t you want one of them to carry you around? Make out with them while they carry you for all I care, just… take care of yourself.”

Tony was stunned speechless. 

Clint huffed and rubbed the back of his head. “Is my reaction really that surprising?”

There was no quick response. 

An awkward moment of silence passed and then suddenly Tony flung his good arm around Clint’s shoulders and hugged him. “Aw, Clint, you really do care.”

Clint grumbled and patted Tony’s arm. “More like you grew on me like a fungus. A stinky, rash-giving, fungus.” 

Tony nuzzled his forehead against Clint’s cheek. “The more you insult me, the more I know you care about me.”

Clint grunted, not sure what to say. His relationship with Tony was shaky. Sometimes it could be really good, and other times Tony drove him up the walls, but he’d been around Tony long enough now to know Tony didn’t mean to offend, and if he did, he’d be a lot more cut throat about it. 

Clint exhaled and nudged Tony away. “Will you climb onto one your boyfriends already? You’re causing me anxiety.”

“Can’t have that, can we?” Tony pecked Clint on the cheek, and dashed over to Bucky. 

Like they rehearsed it so many times, Bucky effortlessly took on Tony’s weight, giving Tony a piggyback ride. 

Clint blinked and touched his cheek where Tony had kissed him. Well, that had crossed some boundaries. At the moment though, Clint didn’t care much. He was just happy that no one had been eaten by some giant plant creature. 

Tony chatted excitedly in Bucky’s ear as Bucky carried him back toward the ship. 

Clint moved to follow, but Steve’s hand on his shoulder stopped him. 

Steve smiled down at Clint. “Thank you for coming to get us, and for convincing Tony to let one of us carry him.” 

“I wasn’t going to let Tony get eaten. Death by plant has to be one of the worst ways to die.” Clint shuddered. “Would such a death even be instantaneous or would it be long and drawn out as you’re slowly digested?”

Steve winced. “I rather not think about it.”

Clint hummed as he mulled it over. “Yeah, it’s not a pleasant thought.”

“But you’re still thinking about it.” Steve’s eyes twinkled with mirth.

“Well, yeah, it’s unpleasant, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t interesting too.”

Steve chuckled, and once again he was squeezing Clint’s shoulder. He beamed at Clint. “I mean it: thank you.”

Steve released Clint’s shoulder.

Clint stood there dumbfounded for a few seconds as Clint’s brain processed the dazzling smile Steve had just hit him with. 

His stomach was roiling again, but whereas before it was with fright, now it was with a much more pleasant emotion. 

Heat rose to Clint’s cheeks, and Clint had to take a moment to tamper down his reaction to Steve. 

Memories of the days prior to learning about Steve, Bucky, and Tony’s true profession surfaced. Memories in which he had began to feel _certain_ _things_ toward them. The truth had put a bit of a damper on Clint’s feelings, if his recent reaction was anything to go by, it was obvious that those feelings were returning. 

Clint shook himself out of his thoughts and hurried after the triad. He didn’t want them questioning why he’d fallen so far behind.   
  



End file.
